Toddler’s death puts Texas in the middle of a Russian political drama

Russian authorities are blaming “inhuman treatment” by murderous Texans for the death of a toddler adopted from Russia by a couple from West Texas.

Konstantin Dolgov, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s special representative for human rights, said the child suffered injuries to his head, legs, abdomen and internal organs. He said the wounds “could only be caused by strong blows.”

Both Texas Child Protective Services and the Ector County Sheriff’s Office are investigating allegations of physical abuse and neglectful supervision related to the death of the 3-year-old.

The drama comes just two months after Russian President Vladimir Putin placed a publicly unpopular ban on the adoption of Russian children. Thousands marched in protest throughout the month of January, and some experts see the spotlight on the alleged abuse as Russia’s window to sway public opinion.

“I do see that there’s a potential for taking a story and making the facts of the story fit the goals, the needs of the Russian government,” said Thomas Jesús Garza, a professor in the University of Texas’ Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies.

Garza said there have been distinct differences in coverage of the case in the United States and in Russia. While details of the incident have not yet been released, many Russian publications have been quick to criminalize the Texas parents.

Peter Astakov, Russian Federation Children’s Rights ombudsman, posted on his blog that “an adoptive mother has killed a three-year-old Russian child in the state of Texas. The murder occurred at the end of January.”

Ector County Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Gary Duesler said the body has been sent for an autopsy in Tarrant County, which will likely indicate the cause of death.

In news coverage of the incident, spokeswoman for “United Russia” Olga Batalin said the events were not recognized as a tragedy in the United States.

Garza said that historically, Russians have had a positive view of Texas. After the demise of the Soviet Union, the American TV series “Dallas” was widely popular. The pop-culture image portrayed Texans as wealthy and outgoing. In addition, Russia has had invested interest in Texas due to its oil reserves. Garza said there are huge connections between Russian companies and Texaco Conoco.

Despite the negative coverage, Garza does not believe the incident will have a direct effect on the way Russians view Texans. He said that in following the events, he has found it most useful to rely on independent blogs rather than official news organizations.

“A lot of Russians who use the internet frequently see the story as a really strong timing issue as part of Putin’s stance against Putin’s adoption,” Garza said.

No matter the outcome of the case, America still has an impressive adoption success rate, according to Garza. If the Texas couple is found guilty, it will be the 20th documented case of a Russian child dying, which he said “is incredibly tiny when you see over 60,000 adoptions.”